


The Empty Truth

by Fandom_Stuff



Series: A Collection of Ficlets [6]
Category: Supernatural
Genre: Crying, Hugs, Sadness, Tears
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-25
Updated: 2020-05-25
Packaged: 2021-03-02 21:41:25
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,129
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24363733
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Fandom_Stuff/pseuds/Fandom_Stuff
Summary: Jack tells Sam and Dean about Castiel's deal with the empty. Dean confronts Cas about it.
Relationships: Castiel & Dean Winchester
Series: A Collection of Ficlets [6]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1888318
Comments: 2
Kudos: 20





	The Empty Truth

**Author's Note:**

> Just a little something I wrote because I couldn't stop thinking about how Dean will react when he finds out about Cas' deal. So enjoy the sadness.

It was a normal morning, well, as normal as they get in the bunker, and Dean had just stumbled out of his bedroom in pursuit of food, but when he heard voices coming from the library he quickly changed course. 

“Jack, what’s the matter?” Sam was asking, clearly concerned.

Jack wasn’t looking at Sam, instead the nephilim seemed very interested in the floor. “There’s something you should know,” Jack began. 

“What’s going on?” Dean asked over a yawn as he stepped into the room. 

Jack’s eyes snapped to Dean. “Oh good, Dean, you’re here too, you should hear this.” 

“I’ll repeat, what’s going on?” 

“Jack said that it was about Cas,” Sam replied. 

Worry flooded Dean instantly. “What’s wrong with Cas? Is he okay?” 

“He’s fine,” Jack reassured him. “There’s just…” 

“Something we should know?” Sam finished for him. 

Jack nodded. “Yes.” 

“Well, spit it out,” Dean growled. He was in dire need of coffee, so the sooner the kid was out with it, the sooner he could make himself a cup of caffeine. 

“It’s just… I kind of promised Castiel I wouldn’t say anything, but it’s important and I think you should know because maybe you can stop it.” 

“Stop what?” Dean asked, he was getting irritated now. 

Jack took a deep breath and looked from Dean to Sam and back again. “When I died… the empty wanted to take me, it came for me in heaven, but Cas stopped it… by offering himself in my place. The empty said that it didn’t want him right away… that it would wait until he let himself be truly happy, and then it would come to take him away.” 

Dean stared at Jack in shock. A rush of emotions had begun to fling themselves from every corner of his body, anger, fear, sadness, betrayal, they all fought for dominance.

At that moment, the squeak of the bunker door announced Cas’ return, and as he came into the room, laden with groceries, Dean couldn’t help himself, he surged forward and grabbed at Cas’ trench coat, pulling him close until Cas was nose to nose with Dean. 

“What were you thinking?” he hissed. 

“Dean, there’s no need for aggression, I just went out for groceries,” Cas said in surprise. 

Sam came up beside them and took the bags from Cas’ hands before he looked sadly at Cas and then motioned for Jack to follow him. “I think Dean and Cas need to have a little talk,” Sam said by way of explanation. 

Dean’s fists were still wrapped around Cas’ coat, fingers entwined in the soft fabric of Cas’ lapels. He shook Cas slightly and Castiel’s hands came up to Dean’s wrists as he repeated, this time in a whisper, “What were you thinking?” 

“Dean, you’re going to need to be more specific,” Cas replied. 

Dean finally uncurled his fists and let Cas’ coat fall back in place. “Jack told us,” he mumbled to the floor, unable to look at Cas.

“Told you what?” Cas asked, he was clearly still clueless and Dean wanted to hit him for his stupidity, for offering himself up to an ancient deity in exchange for Jack’s life. But he didn’t hit him, because he couldn’t blame Cas for his actions, how many times had he offered his own life in return for the safety of a loved one? 

“About your deal, Cas,” Dean snapped. “About your damn deal with the  _ empty _ !” 

“Oh,” Cas replied softly. His blue eyes were cast down and he shuffled his feet. 

“ _ Oh?  _ That’s all you have to say!?” 

“What would you like me to say? I don’t regret it, Dean, and I wouldn’t change what I did if I was given the opportunity.” 

Dean ran a hand through his hair as he turned his back on Cas and paced a few feet away. “You idiot. We just got you back, Cas, how could you do this?” 

“I’m sorry. I didn’t want you to find out,” Cas murmured. 

Dean spun back to look at Cas. “Why?” 

“Because you’d try to stop it.” 

“Damn right we would! And we will, I’m not letting you go to the empty, Cas. I’m not. Once was enough.” 

Cas took a step towards him and Dean let him reach out and put his hand on his shoulder, right where the scar of his handprint used to be. “Dean, you won’t be able to stop it when the time comes. But you don’t need to worry, because I don’t plan to go to the empty any time soon.” 

“Right, because you’re not happy.” It was impossible to keep the hurt from his voice as he addressed the second part of Jack’s revelation. “You’re not happy? I mean, I don’t want you to go to the empty, Cas, I don’t, but Jack said that you would only be taken when you let yourself be happy… so… this whole time… you haven’t been happy here… with us… with...  _ me _ ?” Dean’s voice broke on the last word and he had to work hard to keep the tears from falling, but he inevitably failed. 

Cas’ hands suddenly cupped Dean’s face and Dean was forced to look at him, tears and all. “That is not true. Being here, with Sam, with Jack… with  _ you _ , Dean it’s the happiest I’ve ever been.” 

“But then… how are you still here?” 

“Because there is so much going on in the world right now, with Chuck and the souls from hell, that I know I won’t ever be able to be  _ truly  _ happy until everything is resolved. But I am happy, Dean.  _ You  _ make me happy.” 

More tears pearled from Dean’s eyes but Cas wiped them away. His touch was so tender and Dean couldn’t help but pull him into a hug. “We’ll figure this out, Cas, okay?” He mumbled into Cas’ shoulder as more tears fell. 

“I’m not sure there is anything you can do.” 

Dean clung to Cas tighter and he felt Cas’ hands wrap around his waist. “Cas, so help me, I am not letting you go back there.” 

Cas pulled away slightly, just enough that they were eye to eye. “I know I can’t stop you from trying to look for a solution, but If you don’t find anything, you have to promise me that if the time comes… you’ll let me go.” 

Dean sniffed and swiped at his face as more tears came rolling down his cheeks. “I don’t know if I can do that-” 

“ _ Promise me _ , Dean,” Cas said sharply. 

His eyes were pleading and Dean knew he couldn’t say no. He forced himself to nod. “Okay, Cas, I promise.” 

Cas nodded curtly. “Good.” 

As Cas turned away, Dean knew that this was one promise he surely was  _ not  _ going to keep.


End file.
